- Codes
- Problem-->Action-->Solution
- Character roles
- Telling a story
- Narrative perspective
- Time
Tzvetan Todorov proposed that a story starts with a status quo or equilibrium where any possible contrasting forces are balanced, which is disrupted by an event, setting a sequence of events in a chain. Solving problems allows order to be restored in the fictional world.
Vladimir Propp studied many folk tales and found thirty-one narrative roles and eight character roles.
The eight character roles are:
1. The Villain (s).
2. The Hero.
3. The Donor – this person offers an item which has magical powers.
4. The Helper – the hero is supported by the helper.
5. The Princess (wanted) – who is the hero’s reward and the person who the villain uses in their schemes.
6. Princess’s Father – the hero is rewarded by him.
7. The Dispatcher – the hero is sent on his way by the dispatcher.
8. The False Hero.
These character roles can relate to all types of narratives. For example, in T.V programmes concerning the news, ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’ are frequently presented, such as Princess Diana and Saddam Hussein.
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Claude Levi-Strauss examined binary oppositions, which are sets of values that have opposite meanings, within narrative structures. For example, good and evil have opposite meanings. Levi-Strauss tried gaining a deeper understanding of themes in narratives.
Claude Levi-Strauss examined binary oppositions, which are sets of values that have opposite meanings, within narrative structures. For example, good and evil have opposite meanings. Levi-Strauss tried gaining a deeper understanding of themes in narratives.
Roland Barthes examined and decoded how texts were put together. He proposed that to unravel meaning in a text, narrative codes are used. There are five categories of narrative codes:
1. Action Code – Relates to any action that involves another narrative action. For instance, we speculate what the resolution will be when a criminal draws his gun on a rival.
2. Enigma Code – Applies to any part of a narrative that hasn’t been made clear in detail which makes the viewers puzzled, making them question certain things that require an explanation.
3. Semantic Code – A further meaning, through connotations, within a certain part of the text can be proposed.
4. Cultural Code – A particular element of the story that applies “to a science or a body of knowledge” – our shared knowledge about the way the world works is closely looked at through the cultural codes.
5. Symbolic Code.
Ideology – This is an ordered set of concepts. A comprehensive vision can be associated with an ideology as a way of looking at things – a belief which aids our understanding of the world.
Day and Night
The story links to Todorov's theory as it starts with an equilibrium as Day and Night both seem to be getting on with each other. However, there is a disequilibrium later on as they start to get jealous of each other, which is the disrupting event. A new equilibrium is created when Day and Night find that they are both similar to each other rather than different and unite as one.
Also, parts of Propp's theory relates to the story in several ways. There isn't a specific villain but in the middle of the story when Day and Night get jealous of each other, each of them could be considered a villain towards one another. On the other hand, at the end when they unite as one they both could be considered as heroes because they manage to solve their problems so that each of them can have aspects of both Day and Night. In addition, both Day and Night may be considered helpers too as they both help each other to solve their problems.
Levi-Strauss's theory is associated within the story as well through the clear binary opposites of the characters, Day and Night.
Some of Barthes's theory links to the story through semantic codes. Day has connotations of brightness and bliss whereas Night has connotations of darkness and gloom. Moreover, Day has a symbolic code of positivity but Night has a symbolic code of negativity.
There is an ideology, which is portrayed at the end when Day and Night unite, portraying that everyone should be treated equally and by coming together as one can make things easier so that better things can be achieved.
Day and Night
The story links to Todorov's theory as it starts with an equilibrium as Day and Night both seem to be getting on with each other. However, there is a disequilibrium later on as they start to get jealous of each other, which is the disrupting event. A new equilibrium is created when Day and Night find that they are both similar to each other rather than different and unite as one.
Also, parts of Propp's theory relates to the story in several ways. There isn't a specific villain but in the middle of the story when Day and Night get jealous of each other, each of them could be considered a villain towards one another. On the other hand, at the end when they unite as one they both could be considered as heroes because they manage to solve their problems so that each of them can have aspects of both Day and Night. In addition, both Day and Night may be considered helpers too as they both help each other to solve their problems.
Levi-Strauss's theory is associated within the story as well through the clear binary opposites of the characters, Day and Night.
Some of Barthes's theory links to the story through semantic codes. Day has connotations of brightness and bliss whereas Night has connotations of darkness and gloom. Moreover, Day has a symbolic code of positivity but Night has a symbolic code of negativity.
There is an ideology, which is portrayed at the end when Day and Night unite, portraying that everyone should be treated equally and by coming together as one can make things easier so that better things can be achieved.
